Reconfigurable antenna design for centimeter-wave and millimeter-wave

Abstract

A reconfigurable antenna apparatus may include an antenna assembly and control circuitry. The antenna assembly may include an antenna patch array having a plurality of antenna patches and a switch array having plurality of switches. Each switch of the plurality switches may be electronically controllable to transition between states including a conducting state and a non-conducting state. Each switch may be electrically connected between two of the antenna patches of the antenna array. The control circuitry may be configured to control the states of the switches of the switch array to operate the antenna patch array in a first communications mode at a first wavelength, and control the states of the switches of the switch array to operate the antenna patch array in a second communications mode at a second wavelength.

That which is claimed: 
     
       1. An apparatus comprising:
 an antenna assembly comprising:
 an antenna patch array comprising a plurality of antenna patches; 
 a switch array comprising plurality of switches, each switch of the plurality switches being electronically controllable to transition between states comprising a conducting state and a non-conducting state, and each switch being electrically connected between two of the antenna patches of the antenna array; and 
 a control circuitry comprising an antenna configuration controller individually configured to: control the states of the switches of the switch array to operate the antenna patch array in a first communications mode at a first wavelength; and 
 control the states of the switches of the switch array to operate the antenna patch array in a second communications mode at a second wavelength. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the antenna patches of the antenna patch array are individually sized for millimeter-wave operation;
 wherein the first wavelength is a millimeter-wave wavelength; and wherein the second wavelength is a centimeter-wave wavelength. 
 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the antenna patch array comprises a first antenna patch and a second antenna patch;
 wherein the switch array comprises a first switch connected between the first antenna patch and the second antenna patch via a first two terminals of the first antenna patch and the second antenna patch; 
 wherein the first switch is, as controlled by the control circuitry, in a non-conducting state in the first communications mode; and 
 wherein the first switch is, as controlled by the control circuitry, in a conducting state in the second communications mode. 
 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the switch array further comprises a second switch and a third switch;
 wherein the second switch is connected between the first antenna patch and the second antenna patch via a second two terminals of the first antenna patch and the second antenna patch; and 
 wherein the third switch is connected between the first antenna patch and the second antenna patch via a third two terminals of the first antenna patch and the second antenna patch. 
 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein the second switch and the third switch are, as controlled by the control circuitry, in a non-conducting state in the first communications mode; and
 wherein the second switch and the third switch are, as controlled by the control circuitry, in a conducting state in the second communications mode. 
 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the antenna patch array further comprises a third antenna patch;
 wherein the switch array further comprises a fourth switch, a fifth switch, and a sixth switch, each of the fourth switch, the fifth switch, and the sixth switch being connected between the first antenna patch and the third antenna patch via a different two terminals of the first antenna patch and the third antenna patch; 
 wherein the fourth switch, the fifth switch, and the sixth switch are, as controlled by the control circuitry, in a non-conducting state in the first communications mode; and 
 wherein the fourth switch, the fifth switch, and the sixth switch are, as controlled by the control circuitry, in a conducting state in the second communications mode. 
 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the switches of the switch array comprise radio frequency microelectromechanical systems (RF MEMS) switches, p-type intrinsic n-type (PIN) diodes, or field effect transistors (FETs). 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each antenna patch of the antenna patch array is connectable to two other antenna patches via the switch array. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each antenna patch comprises a rectangular shape and the antenna patch array is arranged in a grid;
 wherein the antenna patch array comprises a first antenna patch and a second antenna patch; 
 wherein the switch array comprises a first switch, a second switch, and a third switch connected between the first antenna patch and the second antenna patch via a different two terminals of the first antenna patch and the second antenna patch; 
 wherein the first switch is connected between a first edge corner of the first antenna patch and a first edge corner of the second antenna patch; 
 wherein the second switch is connected between a second edge corner of the first antenna patch and a second edge corner of the second antenna patch; and 
 wherein the third switch is connected between a first mid-edge portion of the first antenna patch and a first mid-edge portion of the second antenna patch. 
 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the antenna patch array is an N by N phased array, and N by N phased array is defined as a square phased array. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to perform analog and digital beamforming via the antenna patch array in both the first communications mode and the second communications mode. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the control circuitry comprises a digital to analog converter/analog to digital converter (DAC/ADC) that operates in both the first communications mode and the second communications mode. 
     
     
       13. A method comprising:
 controlling, via a control circuitry comprising an individually configured antenna configuration controller, states of switches of a switch array to operate an antenna patch array in a first communications mode at a first wavelength, the antenna patch array comprising a plurality of antenna patches and the switch array comprising a plurality of switches, each switch of the plurality switches being electronically controllable by the control circuitry to transition between states comprising a conducting state and a non-conducting state, and each switch being electrically connected between two of the antenna patches of the antenna array; and 
 controlling, via the control circuitry, the states of the switches of the switch array to operate the antenna patch array in a second communications mode at a second wavelength. 
 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the antenna patches of the antenna patch array are individually sized for millimeter-wave operation; wherein the first wavelength is a millimeter-wave wavelength; and wherein the second wavelength is a centimeter-wave wavelength. 
     
     
       15. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the antenna patch array comprises a first antenna patch and a second antenna patch;
 wherein the switch array comprises a first switch connected between the first antenna patch and the second antenna patch via a first two terminals of the first antenna patch and the second antenna patch; 
 wherein the method further comprises:
 controlling, by the control circuitry, the first switch to be in a non-conducting state in the first communications mode; and 
 controlling, by the control circuitry, the first switch to be in a conducting state in the second communications mode. 
 
 
     
     
       16. The method of  claim 15 , wherein the switch array further comprises a second switch and a third switch; wherein the second switch is connected between the first antenna patch and the second antenna patch via a second two terminals of the first antenna patch and the second antenna patch; and
 wherein the third switch is connected between the first antenna patch and the second antenna patch via a third two terminals of the first antenna patch and the second antenna patch. 
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16  further comprising: controlling, by the control circuitry, the second switch and the third switch to be in a non-conducting state in the first communications mode; and controlling, by the control circuitry, the second switch and the third switch to be in a conducting state in the second communications mode. 
     
     
       18. The method of  claim 17 , wherein the antenna patch array further comprises a third antenna patch; wherein the switch array further comprises a fourth switch, a fifth switch, and a sixth switch, each of the fourth switch, the fifth switch, and the sixth switch being connected between the first antenna patch and the third antenna patch via a different two terminals of the first antenna patch and the third antenna patch;
 wherein the method further comprises:
 controlling, by the control circuitry, the fourth switch, the fifth switch, and the sixth switch to be in a non-conducting state in the first communications mode; and 
 controlling, by the control circuitry, the fourth switch, the fifth switch, and the sixth switch to be in a conducting state in the second communications mode. 
 
 
     
     
       19. The method of  claim 13 , wherein the switches of the switch array comprise radio frequency microelectromechanical systems (RF MEMS) switches, p-type intrinsic n-type (PIN) diodes, or field effect transistors (FETs). 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 13 , wherein each antenna patch of the antenna patch array is connectable to two other antenna patches via the switch array.